Tutorial : Update Your Earrings

Hey everyone! Sasha here, reporting live from hot and humid Singapore!

I love costume jewellery, I know a lot of us do. So today I'm gonna share how I updated one pair of my old earrings. Super easy to do, I am now wondering why in the world did I not do this earlier? :)

First I got my pack of Rub On out, and also the pair of earrings I was gonna play with.



I cut the design apart to make sure they'll be where I want them to.
Then I rubbed one scalloped part onto the earrings.



There will be parts of the rub on sticking out of the earrings, just use your fingers to smooth them to the back of the earrings. Please pay no attention to the messy background. I have been shopping and shopping and didn't spend my time organizing the new stuff, that's why they're all piled up on the table, leaving me to work on a 12 x 12 space.

Then I did the same with the other earring, added some blings and voila! Got myself a 'new' pair of earrings. Now I am gonna look for more old earrings to 'refresh'! I really hope you'll try this :) Fun, trust me. Just don't worry about perfection, and you'll enjoy this. :)

Paint Effects Tutorial

Hi! Tina here. I'm going to give you a few techniques on how to create unique backgrounds using paints and mists. So prep your work area with some scratch paper and get ready to get your fingers tips dirty. :) Get out your paints, mists, a cheap paint brush, a foam brush, a hard plastic card (like an old gift card), a circle and star punch, some stamps and ink.
I sometimes use my plastic circle template but found making your own with all the same size circles makes the painting go faster. Choose your paint color and grab your stiff paint brush (I usually get the cheapest ones from Micheals)
Painting in a circular motion, fill in the circles but don't load your brush with more paint until it becomes faint. Usually by the 3rd or 4th circle. Having different tones of blue makes it more interesting. Let it dry before moving onto the next step.
After the paint has completely dried, place the template over your paper and trace circles using a pencil. This defines your circles and adds more depth.
Let's keep going....grab some stamps and ink. With your template placed over your painted circles, stamp your image.
Here's an example used on an older layout.

Try this technique with a different shape template. Stars are really fun.

I showed this paint technique last year but thought I would add a little twist.
Take your plastic card, a foam brush and a few colors of paint.
Start with your first color and apply a layer of paint to the edge of the card.
Place the card on your paper and drag it down.
Without cleaning off the card, add another paint color. Repeat dragging.
I applied this technique to my most recent layout.

This last technique was inspired by 2 things.
First, I happen to accidentally splatter some mist when I was trying to unclog the sprayer.
Second, I came upon a photo on Tumblr that had a similar effect but was done with water color paint.
Uncap your mists and shake onto paper. This will add droplets of mist. Add several colors.
After adding your desired amount of mist splatter, take a paper towel and blot it dry.
I added a typed message and a bird (using the MS punch). I can't wait to try this on an actual layout.

Thanks for hanging out with Stephanie and I this week.
I hope that you will give one of these techniques a try.
Practicing on little tags is something I recommend before applying them to a layout.
Remember, have fun and make it your own!

Some inspiration before we bid you adieu

Today Miss Emily and I must bid you adieu. Thank you for joining us for our week of scraplifing and scraplifting etiquette. Don't forget to complete our challenge and post a link to your creation on the Studio Calico Message Board by tonight at midnight EST. (And please oh please, do not forget to list your source ;)

One last thing I want to share before we go. We all love inspiration and we find it everywhere around us. One of my favorite things about scraplifting and the internet is that one can find inspiration galore in tutorials, and there is NO QUESTION as to whether or not the person writing cares if you use their idea. They are creating the piece for the express use of scraplifting.

The story behind this tutorial is this: I was trying to recreate a marigold for this layout using a photo of my son holding; wait for it, a marigold. I wanted something 3-D, but not "too techniquey" As I was sitting there the thought occurred to me to use different sized scalloped circles stacked and ruffled to make the marigold effect. Alas, I only had one size of scalloped circle, so I was trying to figure out how to make the flower 3 dimensional. I started manipulating and folding the circle. I came up with the marigold on the layout below. I'm sure I'm not the first person to make this, but I was pretty proud of myself!

Here's how you create them:

Cut out 5 scalloped circles. You can punch them out, or use a die cutting machine. Studio Calico carries this 3 inch and this 2.5 inch punch. I used a 3 inch.

Fold the scalloped circle in half, crease on your fold. Fold both horizontally and vertically and then spread it back out, like so.

Squeeze in the sides with the creases between each finger. Your circle should look like this now!

or like this from the top.

Flatten out your now 1/4 circle so it looks like a fan. You may have to manipulate the tip a little bit to make it sharp. Crease down all the edges with your fingernail so they are crisp folds.

Repeat this with all 5 "petals"

Punch another scalloped circle for a base for your flowers. Glue each "petal" on, overlapping the petals in an over under pattern.

This is what my completed card looks like. I added a brad to the center, and a jewelry tag tied with my favorite baker's twine!

Here's another card I made with plain circles and different patterned papers! I LOVE how this one turned out. I fringed the grass with my own Tim Holtz scissors, but I used my friend's MS fringe scissors the other day and I would have used them here if I owned them myself. I also used my favorite black pen. The American Crafts .08 pen.

I made this for National Scrapbook Day for scrapbooks.com I love the 1 petal here. I think it looks JUST like a buttercup! I used the olive twisted burlap here.

Circle Flower Tutorial

Hello everyone. Waleska here with a flower tutorial.

When I posted this layout to the gallery I got a lot of questions on how to make this flower so here it is (finally)!

• Gather your supplies: sc paper/fabRips, circle punches, hole punch, string, buttons/brads
  

• Punch out 5-6 circles

• Slightly bend the circle in half and punch a small hole at the top

• String the twine through all the circles (note: if you don't want to use a flower center the smaller the whole and string the better- i'll show you an example at the end :))

• Tie the string tightly (This part is tricky. The circles will try to go all over the place so you'll have to be patient)

• Open and arrange the circles to look like a flower
  

• Add a flower center (optional). You can also make your own brad using fabrips + itop tool ;)

• Play around and have fun!

You can make these many different ways by using a variety of material (fabRips, paper, cardstock), different size punches (small, big, scallop), add a flower center or not... it's up to you.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Please let me know if you have any questions.